DEAR HELOISE: Back in the '60s, my 4-H leader had an easy way to measure shortening and remove it from the cup. She had us use a glass measuring cup (4-cup size), fill it with 2 cups of cold water and add shortening until the water reached 3 cups. Pour off the water and you have 1 cup of shortening left. It slides out easily and never fails.
-- Jody W., via text
DEAR HELOISE: I noticed my grandson emptying the dishwasher and arranging the silverware into the silverware drawer so it fit better. He would place the spoons and forks going both ways. I have done it that way ever since. I keep 15 place settings in my silverware drawer with no problem overflowing.
-- Jill E., Vancouver, Wash.
DEAR READER: My mother taught me the same hint. You can get a lot of silverware into the holder that way. Give your grandson a Heloise Hug for being smart.
DEAR HELOISE: This is in response to the lady who was using dryer sheets to soften burnt-on food: No matter how burnt-on the stuff is, pour enough hot water to cover it, add some dishwashing detergent and vinegar. Let it soak. In a while, you can swish it around when the gunk is loosened. Then use a scrubbie to finish off any leftover spots. Vinegar: magic in a bottle!
-- Georgia P., Temple, Texas
DEAR READER: Magic in a bottle -- a new name for my beloved vinegar. It has so many uses, from removing burnt-on food in pots to removing rust from old tools. Soak rusty screws in vinegar and scrub to make new again. Pat some on your hands after cutting onions, and no more smell.
DEAR HELOISE: My wife and I often buy wine by the box because it's a good value and reduces heavy waste. I wondered how much wine was left after no more would flow from the plastic tap.
I opened the box at the top, gently pushed the tap back inside and lifted out the bladder. Next, I snipped a top corner of the bladder and, using a measuring cup, poured out a half-cup of wine. I do this every time now. My record? Two full cups of wine that otherwise would have been wasted.
-- Jay F., Kent, Ohio
DEAR HELOISE: I put a new chopstick in my flour, sugar and meal containers. I use them to level off the product in a measuring cup. They are always handy, and I never have to reach for a knife.
-- R.A.P., Baton Rouge, La.
Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email
Heloise@Heloise.com
Food on 11/18/2015